Richard Palmer‏Verified account @RoyalReporter 18h18 hours ago More Only just spotted that, just as Harry and Meghan arrived in Nottingham on Friday, Buckingham Palace announced Prince Andrew was replacing his father as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.

Air Miles Andy is at it again! This time, Prince Andrew takes a helicopter to neighbouring towns (in the same week his brother chartered a private jet) Prince Andrew commandeered a private helicopter for a day of official engagements that started just 21 miles from his home – at a cost of up to £5,000.What's more, the prince – dubbed Air Miles Andy for his love of luxury travel – also used a chauffeur-driven car which took him to a nearby airfield … to fly 54 miles back to his Windsor mansion.The Queen's son, who does not receive any official government funding but does have the cost of his official travel met by taxpayers, kicked off his Thursday with breakfast at Royal Lodge, a stone's throw from Windsor Castle.He then flew in the executive helicopter to officially open the British and Ireland headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Bayer in Reading.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5850151/Prince-Andrew-uses-tax-payers-money-pay-luxury-travel.html

Why? He’s hardly the man for the job. Prince Andrew deployed on ‘Brexit diplomacy’ mission to HUNGARYPRINCE Andrew will travel to Hungary on a diplomatic visit, as requested by the Government and will meet the nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.The Duke of York will make the trip later this month for three days, during which he will meet Mr Orban, the right-wing nationalist leader who returned to office in April.Prince Andrew, 58, will also meet Hungary’s president Janos Ader and foreign affairs minister Peter Szijjarto during his visit.The focus of his trip will be on events promoting education, science, technology and engineering.This trend was first observed in July last year when the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William took their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte on a five-day family tour of Poland.Commentators called the visit an example of ‘Brexit diplomacy’ aimed to charm Europe. It seems more of an embarrassing waste of time and money.https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1012568/prince-andrew-news-brexit-hungary-viktor-orban

I do believe that this is a horrible idea; I have no idea WHY the House of Windsor is so invested in being part of the EU, especially when their own people basically voted to leave. I'm sure the Hungarian president has more important things than hosting a dolt Windsor on a costly vanity tour for his nation.

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It's got nothing at all to do with whether the BRF want or don't want Britain to stay in the EU, though. The British government want to create a feeling between them and countries within the EU of 'no hard feelings in spite of the Brexit vote...' Therefore part of the 'soft diplomacy' or charm offensive in the aftermath of that decision and while negotiations are still going on is to send senior members of the Royal family on short goodwill visits. The Government wants these royals to do it and so they go. It's not their decision.

I laughed when I read that the first time this was done was on William and Kate's trip last year when it was also the reason for Charles and Camilla's visits to Italy and Austria earlier in the year and was touted as such by the British government.

There have been a series of visits by members of the BRF to European countries at the request of the UK government ever since Brexit.

Rosella - you are spot on when you say it isn't the request of the BRF but the insistence of the British Government. The British royals go where they are told, say what they are told to say, entertain whom they are told to entertain and the government does the telling.

The focus that Andrew seems to be looking at - education and science - fits with the areas where he has been working in Britain and the Commonwealth with the Pitch at Palace idea over recent years. This is an area of interest for him going back decades now so the government is also matching the royal with the area in which they want to visit to focus.

^^^ I believe the Winds are not thrilled about the Brexit vote, they are now bound to lose millions in farming aid they were receiving from the EU. Of course we're unlikely to find out how exactly they feel about it, but I'm sure they are not happy. In general the whole upper crust was (is) against Brexit, that includes not only the aristos, but business and finance people.

I think it's mostly lower classes and those with less disposable income who voted for Brexit (I should get my hands on the demographics somewhere, but I believe this is the divide amongst voters), but then a large part (nearly 50%?!?!) of the population eligible to vote didn't vote at all...

PS The most ridiculous of all are still all the "charm offensives" with the Cambs! seriously! What charm!

It is most definitely not the lower class who have voted for Brexit. I am very involved in the local Conservatives in this area and it is the intelligent thinkers who have vote for Brexit. Remainers are most definitely those with a vested personal interest.

^Agree. My husband and I voted Brexit, and many, many of our friends and family also My husband is a very staunch Conservative supporter.

Have to agree to disagree on this one:

I think it's mostly lower classes and those with less disposable income who voted for Brexit

Our family and friends are not lower class and do not have a lesser disposable income. Those are not reasons to support and vote for Brexit. They did try to manipulate the voting figures initially, but it got them nowhhere. There are many in the higher echelons who also voted for Brexit. The PTB just want people to think that the public who are working tirelessly to support their familes and living to a budget are the only ones who wanted Brexit, and that is so vastly wrong. TM was a remainer, probably still is at heart, not exactly the right choice for a PM at this point in time if your heart is not in it.

We want our country returned to us, not governed by a corrupt EU. We never wanted to enter the EU in the first place, the decision was not voted in by the public. The UK give more money to the EU than they get out of it, that is not fair either. Many people wanted Brexit - sadly the remainers are very bad losers.

Even the man in the street with little at his disposable is allowed to have a vote for what they want - Brexit, for a variety of reasons. You don´t have to be intelligent to know how many beans make 5, never under estimate the little man in the council house, he could be even more intelligent than many in the government. No harm in being poor and wanting to better yourself.

The remainers will manipulate figures to try and show it was the men in the street who had most votes, they don´t want us to know how many in the higher echelons voted, and will do their utmost to hide it in any way they can.

TALK OF THE TOWN: Andy's Koo threatens TV hit The Crown with legal action over affair amid fears she will be portrayed as a minxKoo originally wrote to the show’s executive producer Andy Harries earlier this year but after receiving no reply, decided to consult lawyers. The third and fourth series are currently being filmed, and will soon address the years when Koo was involved with Andrew.A spokesman for The Crown confirmed they had received letters from Koo and said she won’t be in the next series – but couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t feature in any subsequent productions.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6425233/Andys-Koo-threatens-TV-hit-Crown-legal-action-affair.htmlIt’s a bit embarrassing if it’s true because she presumed herself important to be added to the show where the producers indicated that she’s not being added, IMO.Mods, please move if it belongs in The Crown thread.